It is common to attach a grass catcher (i.e., a bag) to a push-behind or riding lawnmower to collect the grass clippings produced. Using a grass catcher in this way is considered advantageous in some respects because it removes grass clippings, leaves, or other solid materials, giving the lawn a clean appearance without requiring any raking or other follow-up maintenance. In addition, the clippings can be easily collected in this way for composting.
In typical bagging systems, the grass catcher can have rearwardly positioned vents or mesh to retain solids such as grass clippings, twigs, and leaves within the grass catcher but allow the flow of air in which the solids are entrained to pass through the grass catcher. In dry climates or during dry seasons, however, mowing can create a great deal of dust. In such situations, these dust particles are capable of filtering through the mesh and venting towards or near the operator, which can be unpleasant for the operator of the mower and potentially harmful to the mower's engine.
Some bagging systems have been developed to automatically separate solids entrained in the air flow passing through the grass catcher without discharging the air flow to the atmosphere. These systems include closed looped vacuum systems and various fabric weaves that knock down the debris. Generally, however, these systems only marginally reduce the amount of dust that a lawnmower operator experiences while mowing. Accordingly, there still exists a need for a grass bagging system for a lawnmower that further reduces the amount of dust the lawnmower operator experiences while mowing.